Roller skate device



Nov.4, 1947. A,v,NENT 2,430,037

ROLLER SKATE DEVICE Filed July 20, 1945 INVEN TOR.

Patented Nov. 4, 1947 ROLLER SKATE DEVICE Arnold Vincent, New York, N. Y., assignor 'to Footmobile Corporation, New York, N. Y.

Application July 20, 1945, Serial No. 606.122

3 Claims. 1

The present invention refers to roller skate structures of the type equipped with three or four wheels or rolling elements.

It is one of the objects of this invention to provide means for increasing the efficiency and stability, as well as easiness of directing of roller skates of the aforesaid type.

It is another object of the invention to provide means permitting simple and rapid change from one to another position of the bearing surface or platform of roller skates relatively to the rear wheel or wheels thereof.

It is still another object of the invention to provide means causing the positioning of the metatarsal axis of the foot ahead of the axis of the front wheels of the roller skate.

It is a further object of the invention to provide means affording adjustability of the platform to the foot of the wearer without necessitating any change of the relationship between the axis of the front wheels and the metatarsal axis of the wearers foot.

' Still another object of this invention resides in the provision of means for preventing slipping movement of the platform of the roller skate in lateral directions.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide means rendering the change of the position of the skate platform possible by a slight movement of the foot rather than by displacing the entire body of the skater so that the equilibrium of the latter will substantially always be maintained.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide means facilitating reduction of the width of the platform of the skate device to a minimum and to prevent any springy action of the platform.

Yet, another object of the invention is to provide means permitting the roller skate to easily follow, turn or run sharp curves having a relatively short radius. 7

These and other features and advantages will become more apparent from the ensuing description of the invention, and will be further clearly understood by referring to the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing: 7

Fig. l is a side-elevational view of a skate device made in accordance with this invention (parts of the device being broken away).

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the skate device of Fig. l, as seen from above and into the direction of the right-hand wheel of the skate device.

Fig. 3 illustrates the skate device of Fig. .l (on a reduced scale) as seen in another operative position.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 44 of Fig. 2,.

Fig. 5 is a schematic top plan view of the front part of the skate device.

Fig. 6 is a schematic front view of the front part of the skate device.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, there is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 a roller skate device I II which is equipped, in this instance, with a single rear wheel II, with the two front wheels I2 and I3, an elongated profiled platform I4 and bridge I5 which connects the front wheels I2 and I3 to said platform I4.

Slidably attached at the rear part I la of platform I4 is a holder It for engagement with the heel I! of the shoe I8 of the skater.

Platform I4 extends in uniform width and substantially in horizontal direction lengthwise of the skate device II], but is enlarged at the front portion I9 of the platform, in particular at the bridge or traverse I5. Front portion I9 is somewhat upwardly curved at 20, where the forward end 2I of the shoe I8 comes to rest.

Forward end 22 of front portion I9 is bifurcated at 23 to provide a Space between arms 24, 25 in which a brake element 26 is fixedly held in position by means of screw bolt 21 passing through depending lugs ofsaid arms 24 and 25.

The forward curved part 2|] of the portion I9 of the platform I4 is further provided with loop elements 28, 29 for the engagement with a retainer strip (not shown) for holding the shoe of the skater on platform I4. Similarly, heel holder I6 includes slots or loops, such as indicated by numeral 30 to retain the rear portion of shoe I8 on platform I4.

As can be visualized from Figs. 2 and 5, wheels I2 and I3 are inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis 3| of the platform I4, the angle being approximately 3 to 5. Wheels I2 and I3 are also inclinedly disposed to each otherin vertical direction, the angle being approximately between 5 to 10 to the vertical axis 34. This arrangement of the front Wheels I2, I3, the diameter of which being about twice the diameter of rear wheel I I, considerably increases the stability and markedly contributes to the easiness with which curves having a relatively short radius, may be run. In other words, the front wheels I2, I3 converge toward the curved end of the forward portion of said platform, but diverge from below or bottom surface of said platform thereabove or surface of said platform.

The inclination of the wheels I2 and I3 with respect to the longitudinal axis 3| and relatively to the vertical axis 34 is apparent from Fig. 6.

In order to readily facilitate the change of the position of the skate platform as seen in Fig. 1 to a position illustrated in Fig. 3 in which the rear wheel II is swung upwardly and does not contact the surface 35, the metatarsa axis indicated at 33 in Fig. 5 is arranged according to thisinvention ahead of the transverse axis 32 extending through the front wheels I2, I3. Thus, without substantially changing the equilibrium of the skater and his posture, a slight pressing movement of the toes of the foot of the skater will be sufficient to bring about pivotal movement of the platform I4 about the transverse axis 32 since the same is positioned above and rearwardly of the metatarsal axis 33 which extends crosswise to the curved forward end 20 of the enlarged forward platform portion I9.

In order to maintain the position of the metatarsal axis at that preferred location, heel'holder' I4a is further provided with a slot II] through which extends screw bolt 4i riveted at 42 to the base of heel holder I6. affix heel' holder IS in its position, a nut 43 may be moved in tight engagement with the underface 44 of-platform I l.

At a location underneath of heel holder I6 and pivotally attached by a bolt connection is:the bifurcated member 36 which, in this. instance, carries rear wheel II. Rear wheel" II is held in member 45 for position and rotation relatively thereto, by means of a nut and bolt connection 41.

It is well understood that instead of one rear wheel I I two rear wheels or rolling elementsmay be arranged, either swingably or in fixedirelation to the platform I4;

Platform Id is preferably made from alight weight metal, such as aluminumor magnesium or any alloy thereof, and is preferably profiled, as

seen in Fig. 4. Thus, a center groove-dais pro'-- vided', the tread surface being composed of portions 4! and 50 of the platform whichcan thus be kept to a minimum width and is greatly reinforced'.

Wheels Ii, 52 and I3 are preferablyprovi'd'ed" with rubber layers I Ia, IZa and. I30: or; other resilient surfaces to bring. about smooth working conditions for. the roller skate.

As hereinabove mentioned, the rounded brake element 26 may be turned after the employed' surface section thereof has. worn off; Thus, a

and rear wheels (Fig. l) or by using only the front wheels (Fig. 3) whichispreferably'accomplished during motion by'a slight pressure and shifting of themetatarsal axis 23 about transverse wheel axis 32 (Fig; 5). The start of the roller'skate motion may be brought aboutby the skater in a conventional manner and thestopnf theroller skate motionmay be accomplished by the utilization of. the friction b'etweenithe brake" device as and the surface. 35', as itis well understood;

According. to the: present invention;v sharp; curves with a relatively short radius can befrun' In order to adjustably' with easiness and safety which is in particular attributed to the arrangement and disposition of the front Wheels I2 and I3 which are rotatably aflixed, respectively, on lugs IM and I 51) upwardly extending from bridge or traverse I5 which, in turn, is riveted to the surface of platform I4 at 5 I. Lugs I 5a and I522 include respective bearings for rotatable wheels I3 and I2 held in positionthereon by means of a bolt and nut arrangement 52 and 53';

In accordance with the present invention there has been provided a skate device comprising an elongated platform, said platform including a rearward portion and a forward portion provided with an upwardly curved end, a traverse fixed in crosswise direction to and adjacent said forward portion ofsaid platform and terminating in opposite lugs, each lug extending angularly from and above said platform, a front wheel positioned at either side of said platform and arranged for rotation on said lugs, respectively, whereby the transverse axis of said wheels is positioned above said platform, said front wheels converging toward the curved-e'ndofsaid platform, a heel holder adjustably affixed to the rearward portion of said platform, a rear wheel connected to the end of said rearward portion, and-means disp'laceably connecting said heel holder with said platform whereby upon engagement of the heel of ashoe with said heel-holder the tip of the shoe will be located on said'curvedend and with the metatar sal axis of the foot of the skater ahead of said transverse axis so as to effectuate pivotal movement of said platform about said transverse'axis said-frcntwh'eels substantially solely by the tip of the shoe thereby avoiding shifting of the point of gravity of the skater for said pivotal movement.

While there have been shown and described by those skilled in the art without d'epartingfrom the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to-be secured'by Letters Patent, is:

1. A skate device of the character describedcomprisin'g, a: platform having a surface terminating into a iorwardportion provided with an upwardly curved end, said end being bifurcated andextending-above the remainder of said platform, a U-shaped traverse including two end 2. A skate device or the chara'cterdescribed" comprising a platform having a bottom surface, said':platformterminating into a-forward portion witnanupwa-r uiy curved-end, said'end being 10-- cate'd ata'level above the remainder of said platform and being provided with a, bifurcation, a traverse fixed to said platform and positioned rearwardly of said curved end, oppositely arranged lugs on said traverse and extending therefrom above said platform, two front wheels conneoted for rotation to said lugs, respective bearings for said front wheels carried by said lugs and positioned above said platform, whereby said front wheels extend below and above said platform, at least one rear wheel connected for rotation to said platform, said front wheels converging in the direction of said bottom surface of said platform as well as toward the curved end of said platform, the transverse axis of said front wheels being disposed above said upwardly curved end of said forward portion of said platform, and a brake element accommodated within said bifurcation and fixed thereat.

3. A skate device of the character described comprising a platform terminating into a forward portion provided with an upwardly curved end for engagement with the toes of the skaters foot, said end being located at a level above the remainder of said platform, a traverse fixed to said platform and located rearwardly of said curved end, oppositely arranged lugs on said traverse and extending from the latter above said platform, two front wheels connected for rotation to said lugs of said traverse, respective bearings for said front wheels carried by said lugs and positioned above said platform, whereby said front wheels extend below and above said platform, and at least one rear Wheel connected for rotation to said platform, said front wheels converging in the direction of said forward portion of said platform and diverging in the direction from below said platform thereabove.

ARNOLD VINCENT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

